On the cover, which was shot by the legendary Patrick Demarchelier, Kelly poses in a Grace Kelly–esque off-the-shoulder top. Her blonde tresses are styled in a way that echoes the former Princess of Monaco's classic hairstyle, and she gives a bold stare into the lens.

The Kelly File anchor entered the spotlight after a headline-making confrontation with real estate mogul Trump during the first debate. Kelly, who moderated the session, grilled Trump about his treatment of women, prompting him to call her a "lightweight" to CNN's Don Lemon.

Kelly told VF in her cover story, however, that Trump once thought highly of her. "He would send me press clippings about me," the former lawyer told VF about the 2016 Republican presidential hopeful. "He would just sign [them] ‘Donald Trump.’ And he called from time to time to compliment a segment. I didn’t know why he was doing that. And then when he announced that he was running for president, it became more clear."

Donald TrumpRobin Marchant/Getty Images

The hard-hitting journalist said his attempts to court her were futile. "But I can’t be wooed," she shared. "I was never going to love him, and I was never going to hate him."

Kelly said that Trump and other critics questioning the validity of the now-famous sexism question she posed during the debate should do a thorough research sweep themselves. "I wrote it," she recalled. "I researched each line item myself. It was interesting to me after the debate when people started fact-checking my question. My own reaction was ‘Bring it on.’ You think I’d go out there and ask a question like that at the first GOP debate without making sure I was bulletproof on every single word?"

On the August 10 episode of The Kelly File, the anchor addressed the heated situation. "Mr. Trump is an interesting man who has captured the attention of the electorate. That's why he's leading in the polls," she told her viewers at the time. "Trump, who is the front-runner, will not apologize, and I certainly will not apologize for doing good journalism. So I'll continue doing my job without fear or favor. And Mr. Trump, I expect, will continue with what has been a successful campaign thus far."

The two will see each other again later this month when Kelly moderates the Fox News debate in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 28. The February 2016 issue of Vanity Fair hits newsstands on Thursday, January 7.